


The Nutcracker: GOT7 Edition

by heros_wings



Category: GOT7
Genre: AU, Christmas, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 07:25:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5530913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heros_wings/pseuds/heros_wings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thanks to a certain faerie, Jaebum is now a nutcracker. The only way to be human again is to find the rat king and take his tail.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dreams_about_sky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreams_about_sky/gifts).



In most fairy tales, a prince or a princess was turned into a beast of some sort — a frog, a swan, an actual beast — by an evil or angry witch.

But not Jaebum.

The faerie who turned him into a nutcracker just thought it would be “funny” and then failed to learn how to properly undo the spell.

“True love’s first kiss will undo any spell,”  Jinyoung said apologetically, as he placed Jaebum onto a shelf of a family he was sure would take care of him.

Jaebum glared at him as much as a wooden nutcracker could with a painted blank expression. 

***

“When did we buy a nutcracker?” a woman muttered months later, reaching in to grab Jaebum out of the closet, along with the rest of the Christmas decorations.

She placed him on a shelf overlooking a large living area where a Christmas tree stood, decorated with mismatched ornaments.

He sat on his perch for many years, watching as the man and woman Jinyoung had — literally — ditched him with, had their first child, Jackson. He was a bright and cheerful boy, who loved to talk to anyone and anything — including Jaebum.

“Mom said you just showed up one day,” he chattered on one year as he helped decorate for Christmas. He squinted at the name Jinyoung had hastily carved into his stand. “Jaebum?” he frowned, “That's not much of a name for a nutcracker…” he paused, before his mouth split into a grin, “I'll call you JB instead. What do you think?”

Jaebum felt a rush of affection as Jackson stood on his toes to placed him on his usual shelf, smiling triumphantly when he succeeded, and hurrying off to grab another decoration.

When Jackson was 10, his family adopted a baby they called Kunpimook.

Jackson nicknamed him Bambam.

 ***

When Bambam was five, he climbed up the bookcase and pulled Jaebum off the shelf.

“Bambam that's not a toy!” Jackson chastised the best he could. But Jaebum knew if Jackson had one person he could never say no to, it was Bambam.

“Don't you want to play with the doll I bought you at the store today?” he asked, waving the colorful harlequin doll.

Bambam stubbornly shook his head and clutched Jaebum closer to his chest. “I wanna play with JB!”

Sighing, Jackson set the harlequin doll on the couch, defeated.

Bambam beamed triumphantly and threw himself on the rug in front of the Christmas tree as Jackson shook his head and settled on the couch with his laptop.

It was an odd sensation, having his body being entirely controlled by a 5-year-old boy. He was turned upside down, upright again, back upside down, then once again straightened up so he could kick away one of the plastic GI Joe figurines he watched Jackson unwrap many Christmases ago.

Jaebum’s mouth opened and closed when Bambam pulled on the lever in his back. He bit down on GI Joes, plastic animal figures, Legos, and even a branch on the Christmas tree.

Jackson’s warning to be careful was met with a defiant, “I _am,_ ” just as Bambam pulled on the lever with one great jerk. The lever snapped, and Jaebum’s mouth fell open.

Eyes widening, Bambam tried in vain to shut his jaw, but it just hung open, giving Jaebum a permanently surprised expression.

“BAM!” Jackson tossed his laptop to the side and grabbed Jaebum from Bambam’s trembling hands as he sniffed back his tears. Jackson never yelled. Especially not at him.

Sighing, Jackson ruffled Bambam’s hair. “I told you to be careful.”

“It was an accident!”

He smiled, “I know.”

As if to convince Bambam he wasn’t angry, he kissed the side of Jaebum's face and tapped his jaw shut, keeping his fingers in place so it didn't fall again. If Jaebum still had a heart, he was pretty sure it would have stopped.

“See?” he grinned, “all better.”

Bambam smiled back and reached for the harlequin doll he abandoned earlier. “I like this one better anyway.”

There was no pain, but a swell or irritation stirred within Jaebum as Jackson chuckled and ruffled Bambam’s hair again before  walking him back to his shelf.

“Let's not tell mom and dad,” he told Jaebum, who wished more than ever he could be human again just to feel the satisfaction of a proper glare.

He was broken, and Jackson wasn't going to do anything about it? What if he was stuck like this forever? What if he was turned human again and his jaw just hung open like it did now? What kind of prince would that make him?

As Jackson walked away again, the irritation ebbed, and instead the sense of longing he had carefully ignored for years, wove its way into his consciousness. He wanted to be human again. And he wanted Jackson to be the reason… 


	2. Chapter 2

At midnight, something very strange happened.

Jaebum felt his jaw prickle unpleasantly. He could feel his stiff wooden body, and had the sudden urge to breathe.

Confused, he began to panic as the uncomfortable tingle in his jaw turned into a dull ache. He could feel his wooden legs and jerked. Body too stiff for any proper movements, and legs still attached to his stand, he toppled over, and off the shelf.

Unable to shut his eyes, he watched the world flip and twist as he fell to his inevitable end.

“Klutz.”

Someone caught him just before he hit the ground and carefully placed him on the floor.

Jaebum’s wooden face twisted into a scowl.

Jinyoung grinned sheepishly at him, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Long time no see.”

Jaebum tried to curse at him, but his jaw still hung open and no sound came out. Frustrated, he hopped forward, and head butted Jinyoung’s shin.

Chuckling, Jinyoung fixed his jaw and released his legs from the stand.

“I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!”

At least his voice was still as menacing as ever, even if the useless wooden sword he had drawn and brandished at Jinyoung wasn't.

Jinyoung held up his hands in surrender. “I'm sorry, ok?” his grin seemed to say otherwise, and Jaebum hit his foot with the sword. “Look, how was _I_ supposed to know it would take you 15 years to find your true love?”

Jaebum froze mid swing.

Grin widening, Jinyoung poked his forehead and sent him stumbling back. “Yah, just because you haven't seen me doesn't mean I haven't been watching over you all these years. If I didn't think Jackson would be the one, I would have taken you to a different house.”

Jaebum snorted and sheathed the sword again. When he was fully human again, he was going to look for new, non-magical friends.

“Ok...so....now what?” he grumbled, “I'm obviously not human,” he gestured at his still wooden body.

“Oh...that…” Jinyoung laughed nervously and pulled out a small notebook. “So, I did some research, and you need a few things before you er...can become fully human again…but the good news is, the spell froze you in time so-to-speak, so you’re still technically 16...”

Jaebum narrowed his eyes, and Jinyoung plowed on, flipping through the pages.

“You need the tail of a rat king, and Jackson has to accept your heart.”

Jaebum stared at him. “What's the rat tail for?”

Jinyoung shrugged and snapped the notebook shut. “No idea. Potion most likely. But those are the conditions.”

“Most likely?!” Jaebum seethed. “What have you been doing for 15 years?!”

“Fairies are busy people—”

Jaebum pulled out his sword again, but Jinyoung waved his hand at him and he froze in place, sword held above his head.

“Look...it's not hard, really...there's plenty of rat kings...” Jinyoung explained, “all you have to do is find one and take his tail...” he waved his hand again, and Jaebum’s wooden sword turned into gleaming, ruby-encrusted, steel.

Smiling, clearly pleased with himself, Jinyoung looked back at Jaebum. “I'll be back when you get the tail.”

He snapped his fingers.

The harlequin doll Bambam had abandoned in the living room, sprang to life.

“I heard the boy call him Yugyeom,” Jinyoung explained, as the doll inspected his limbs and tested his movements. “He can help you on your journey.”

Jaebum watched as the doll — Yugyeom — twisted his body as if trying some elaborate dance step, tangled his legs together, and fell.

He opened his mouth to tell Jinyoung to _go-back-home-and-find-an-actual-solution_ when a voice spoke behind him.

“Well this isn't weird at all.”

Jaebum spun in horror to find Jackson standing at the entrance of the living room, clothes and hair rumpled from sleep. The stir of longing he had felt for years now made his stomach squirm.

Jackson stared down at Yugyeom, who stared back, as if waiting to take his cue from Jackson as to what was going to happen next. When Jackson looked over at Jaebum and Jinyoung, Jaebum didn't move.

Finally, Jackson nodded. “Right...I'm dreaming...good night…” 

He turned to leave, waving a dismissive hand over his shoulder.

“Wait!” Jinyoung hurried over to Jackson, who turned to look at him with curiosity.

“I get Bambam’s doll and JB showing up in my dream but who are you exactly?”

Jinyoung grinned. “Your faerie godmother.”

Jackson stared at him. “You're a dude.”

“Labels,” Jinyoung replied with a shrug. “Anyway…” he pulled out his wand, grin widening, “you're not dreaming, and I kind of need our Kingdom’s prince back so…” he rapped Jackson over the head with his wand, “sorry.”

Jaebum watched in shock as Jackson went from the size of a human teenager to...Jaebum’s size.

“JINYOUNG!” he shouted at the same time Jackson looked down at his miniature form.

“Well this is new…”

“I forgot to mention you have until midnight on Christmas,” Jinyoung said quickly, “good luck!”

He disappeared as Jaebum rushed forward.

“Yah!” he shouted at the space Jinyoung had been, “what happens after midnight?!”

The harlequin doll snorted. “Isn't it obvious?” he brushed himself off and looked at Jaebum and Jackson in turn, like the answer was obvious, “you return to being a nutcracker forever.”


	3. Chapter 3

It took Jaebum and Yugyeom over an hour to convince Jackson he wasn't dreaming.

And another hour to calm him down.

“I'm not going to be stuck like this forever right?” he asked Jaebum, whose patience was beginning to run thin.

Jackson turned to Yugyeom, who already seemed bored with it all. “You said the faerie could turn me back right? But he couldn't turn JB back.”

He spun to look at Jaebum again. “I can't be stuck like this forever! I have fencing, and Bambam, and school, and mom and dad and—!”

“YAH!” Jaebum shouted, finally having had enough. He was tired — something he hadn't felt for years — and trying to quell his own panic. He couldn't deal with Jackson’s too.

He had two days to find a rat king and somehow make Jackson fall in love with him.

And right now, both seemed to be impossible tasks.

“Rats live outside,” Yugyeom reasoned, ignoring Jackson.

He adjusted his blue and red hat, using one of the low-hanging bulb ornaments on the tree as mirror.

“So obviously that's where we have to look.”

He stood back to admire the his own reflection before turning to Jaebum, who was sulking against the leg of the couch. He was already envisioning a life spent forever in the closet with the other Christmas ornaments, only to be brought out for a few weeks a year to see Jackson and Bambam once again grown one more year…

He glanced over at Jackson, who was still pacing back and forth, arguing with himself over the pros and cons of being a foot tall.

Assuming Jinyoung _did_ actually know the counter-spell to return Jackson to his regular size, he would graduate high school, then college, and maybe he would take Jaebum when he moved into his first apartment. Maybe the next time he was pulled out for Christmas, Jaebum would see Jackson's wife…

A sharp pang stabbed at his chest at the thought.

A white gloved hand waved in front of his face. When he looked up, Yugyeom was frowning down at him, the usual smiling painted mouth turned into a frown.

“May I add, if you fail, I can't be human either,” he dragged Jaebum to his feet. “So let's go!”

***

“So…” Jackson panted as they pushed several Christmas presents in front of the door so they could climb on top and reach the doorknob, “you’re a prince?”

Jaebum climbed up the first box and helped Jackson up. “Yeah.”

“Like...from a different land?”

The climbed to the top and unlocked the door.

“Yes.” He moved his hand as far away from Jackson’s as the three of them turned the doorknob.

After considerable effort, they finally toppled out onto the porch.

The moon had a Cheshire Cat smile, and Jaebum could hear the frosted grass crunch as they walked across the yard towards the woods.

“Where are we supposed to find a rat king?” Jackson asked hours later as the sky began to lighten.

Jaebum could no longer see the house, and he worried about their absence. Jackson’s parents might not notice a nutcracker and a doll missing, but they would notice their own son gone...

Yugyeom cursed as the soft fabric of his leg got caught in another briar. While Jaebum could walk through the thorns unscathed, and Jackson could walk easily around, Yugyeom’s soft limbs were now full of snags with loose threads and small tufts of stuffing poking through the tiny holes.

Sighing, Jaebum tried to free him, but his wooden fingers weren't dexterous enough to prevent yet another snag as Yugyeom staggered away.

Exhausted, tired of being caught on stray branches and thorns, they decided to rest under a patch of bushes for a few hours before moving again.

As Yugyeom napped next to him, Jaebum watched the forest creatures emerged from their nighttime dwellings, only half listening to Jackson chatter about how different the world looked now that he was only a foot tall.

“What's your Kingdom like?” he suddenly asked, snapping Jaebum out of his reverie.

He took a moment to think. It had been nearly 16 years...he had no idea if the home he left would be the one he remembered. The idea that what he returned to would be unfamiliar and different left him feeling oddly empty.

Jackson seemed to sense his hesitation and said, “if you don't want to talk about it—”

“—warm…” Jaebum cut him off, a small smile curving the corners of his lips.

Their castle was set on high, towering cliffs. Every window facing west had a view of the sea and curving coastline, and when the sun set, the sky looked as though it was on fire.

The water was warm year around, and Jaebum often took a small boat out when he wanted to be away from the busy castle. More than once, his father had to send out a servant to row out and fetch him. Once, when Jaebum was being particularly stubborn, his father came to drag him in himself. 

“Sounds nice…”

It wasn't until Jackson responded did Jaebum realize he had spoken everything out loud.  They caught each other’s eye, and Jackson easily held his gaze.

He cleared his throat and looked away, unused to the way his heart hammered against his wooden chest.

A few feet from their hideout, a doe appeared.

Using her as a distraction, he quickly rose to his feet. “Maybe she knows where to find the rat king.”

Jackson stared at him a while longer before nodding and standing as well.

They piled a few more leaves around Yugyeom’s sleeping figure to keep his colorful outfit from drawing unwanted attention, and crept out of their hiding place.

The doe was sifting through the deadfall looking for something edible. She heard them approach and froze. They stopped as she lifted her head and stared ahead, listening.

With a deep breath, Jaebum spoke. “Sorry but—”

The doe darted. Gone before he could call her back.

A high pitched tittering made him spin around.

“No use trying to get information from deer,” the brown rabbit said in its squeaky voice, nose and whiskers twitching.

Jaebum clenched his jaw to keep away his irritation at the rabbit’s haughtiness, but Jackson hurried forward, with a hopeful tone, “do you know where the Rat King lives, then?”

The rabbit stared at Jackson as if considering him. “Perhaps…”

Jaebum’s fingers twitched. Maybe if he drew his sword and threatened to make a hat or a scarf out of the little furball—

“...what's in it for me?” the rabbit asked.

Jaebum grinned as Jackson turned to him with a helpless look.

He ran his thumb across the hilt of his sword. “I won't turn you into a scarf.”

Jackson’s eyes widened, as if he couldn't believe Jaebum would harm such an innocent creature, but the rabbit just eyed the sword, nonplussed. “I know where the Rat King is,” he said calmly, “if you kill me, you'll never find him.”

“There's plenty of creatures in the forest.”

If rabbits could grin he was sure this one would be. “Perhaps, but none as clever as me.”

Jaebum snorted and let his hand drop. “Fine...state your price.”

“A field.”

Jaebum blinked.

“Of alfalfa and carrots.”

Easy enough. Apparently rabbits were still simple minded despite their confidence in their own cleverness.

“Deal.”

The rabbit beamed — at least Jaebum assumed he was smiling.

“Walk that way,” he gestured behind Jaebum with his paw, “keep walking east until you reach an old willow tree. You will find the rat king inside.”

Jaebum thanked the rabbit (“Changmin,” he said) and promised to find him again.

He watched Changmin hop off before returning Yugyeom.

After a few hard shakes, the harlequin doll was up, and they were once again marching through the woods.

The shadows of the trees cast the forest into an early dusk as the sun began to set. Yugyeom had just suggested they rest for the night when they saw it — towering over a small hill just beyond the edge of the woods was a great weeping willow.

They hurried towards the tree, slowing as they approached. Snoozing at the base of the trunk, was a sleek grey rat with a long, thin body. His nose twitched as they approached.

Slowly, the rat let out a wide yawn and slowly opened his eyes. “Halt,” he grumbled half-heartedly, yawning again, “who goes—” another yawn “—please just go away, the king isn't seeing anyone.”

Jaebum, Jackson, and Yugyeom glanced at each other. Surely this was not how a guard of a King’s castle should act?

Sighing, Jaebum marched up to the rat. Christmas Eve was tomorrow. He didn't have time for this.

“We need to see the king.”

Slowly, the rat sat up and surveyed them with a bored expression. “Who?”

“The King!”

The rat titled his head. “What King?”

Jaebum gaped at him. Hadn't he just…

“You definitely said there was a King in there!” he jabbed furiously at the willow tree.

“Did I?” the rat blinked, “my mistake. Must have been sleep talking.”

Jaebum clenched his fists, ready to simply draw his sword and _force_ his way through, when Yugyeom stepped forward.

“I'm sorry, my friend is a bit rude,” he grinned as Jaebum scowled at him, “what was your name? I'm Yugyeom and the rude nutcracker is Jaebum,” he pointed to Jackson, “the human behind him is Jackson.”

He pulled out a bag of Bambam’s favorite cheese crackers from his pocket, grin widening as the rat’s eyes fixed on it.

Jackson stared incredulously at Yugyeom. “How did—?”

Jaebum shushed him.

“Mark,” the rat said.

“We _really_ need to see the King,” Yugyeom prodded, shaking the bag a bit.

Mark the rat pointed at a small hole at the base of the tree barely large enough for them to squeeze through.

“That way. Take the staircase. Last door at the end of the hall. Can't miss it.”

Jaebum promised himself to personally screen every new guard to their castle when he returned, as they tossed the bag to Mark and clambered through the hole.

“Thank Jinyoung for that,” Yugyeom said as they stood in a surprisingly spacious area Jaebum assumed must act as an Entrance Hall. “I guess he thought we would need the cheese snacks...I found them in my pocket earlier…”

Jaebum made another mental note to thank Jinyoung...right after he killed him for putting him in this predicament in the first place.

They ascended the winding staircase, wary of any guard that may be lurking about. Either they were being secretly watched by guards waiting for the opportune moment to jump out at them, or the “castle” was completely deserted.

When they reached the top of the stairs and saw a small door just ahead (they _were_ in a tree after all, Jaebum reminded himself, hallways couldn't really exist).

“Are you sure this is the King?” Jackson whispered skeptically.

Jaebum shrugged as they approached the door, still no guard in sight.

“Only one way to find out,” he drew his sword, steeling himself for a fight. He didn't expect the rat King to just hand over his tail…

Jackson stared apprehensively at the door. “On the count of three—?

Yugyeom pushed the door open.

“—or now.”

To Jaebum’s surprise, the only noise coming from the King’s quarters was a slight murmuring…

Jackson and Yugyeom stepped next to him.

“Is he…” Jackson started.

“...he's sleeping…” Yugyeom deadpanned, staring at the snoozing rat like he was the biggest let down of his short animated life.

Swallowing, Jaebum took one step closer. He might be asleep now, but he wouldn't sleep through Jaebum slicing off his tail.

The rat king had dark grey fur, and long whiskers that twitched every time he mumbled something in his sleep.

“Yah…” he poked the rat with his finger. He didn't want to fight, but it only seemed fair to give the poor rat a chance. He was raised a Prince after all. Fairness and nobility were just a part of who he was…even for a rat.

The rat responded by rolling over to his other side. “Mark stop eating Jay’s rations…” he mumbled.

Jaebum poked him again. Still nothing.

Sighing, he glanced at the tail, then back at the rat’s sleeping form.

Well if he wasn't going to wake up…

He took a deep breath, raised the sword, and brought it down on the rat’s tail. It cut clean through. And to his shock, there was no blood. Jinyoung must have cast a spell on the sword.

Even more shocking was the rat King still slept.

“He _is_ alive, right?” Jackson asked cautiously, cringing as Jaebum picked up the tail.

“Dead things don't breathe and talk in their sleep,” Jaebum replied, “he's fine.”

They hurried out of the willow tree, Mark was once again snoozing against its base, empty bag of cheese crackers at his feet.

Just as they crept by him, a great wail came from inside the tree.

“MY TAIL!”

Mark startled awake.

“MY BEAUTIFUL TAIL WHO WOULD DO SUCH A THING?!”

Mark slowly looked up at them, his eyes widening when he saw the tail.

“ _That's_ why you wanted to see my King?!” he asked incredulously. Rather than spring up, ready to fight, he just looked at Jaebum like he had lost his mind.

There was another distressed shout from inside the tree.

“Rat tails have important magical qualities,” Jinyoung appeared next to Jackson, who jumped so violently, he knocked into Jaebum.

“Can you not do that?!” he shouted, clinging to Jaebum’s arm.

“Who are you?” Mark stared at Jinyoung, who waved a dismissive hand.

“Not important—”

“—PARK JINYOUNG!”

The rat King appeared. “I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU TOOK MY TAIL! AGAIN!”

Jinyoung grinned sheepishly. “Well technically Jaebum—”

“Give it back!”

For such a small creature he sure did have a powerful voice.

“You know him?” Jackson blinked.

“Sort of—”

“SORT OF?! THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME I'VE LOST MY TAIL BECAUSE OF YOU!”

With a nervous laugh, Jinyoung waved his wand and a new tail grew where the previous one had been.

“There...all fixed—”

“I want to _keep_ my tail!” the King growled. “Not have to grow a new one every time you need to chop mine off!”

“Maybe you should hire a better guard,” Jinyoung countered with a shrug. “I mean, it's not the first time Mark has let someone in. Remember that time he let that bird in for a piece of chocolate?”

 Mark groaned at the memory. “I was sick for a week.” 

Jaebum, Yugyeom, and Jackson watched the bizarre exchange with varying degrees of disbelief.

“Yah…” Jaebum looked at Jinyoung, “if you knew him, why didn't you just get the rat tail yourself?”

 _“Because—”_ he plucked the rat tail from Jaebum’s arms and pulled out a vial full of some sort of clear liquid “—in order for the potion to work, the person who drinks it has to retrieve the main ingredient.”

Jaebum stared up at him. “You’re lying.”

Jinyoung grinned again as he popped opened the vial and slip the rat tail in. “Kind of.”

He shook the vial until the rat tail had disappeared, then pulled out two small glasses.

“There's enough for Yugyeom as well...if he wishes to become human,” Jinyoung explained as he poured the Potion into the glasses and shrunk them to a reasonable size for Jaebum and Yugyeom.

Yugyeom stared at the glass. “Really?” he breathed. Jaebum could hear the hope in his voice.

Still smiling, Jinyoung nodded. “Yep.”

“What about Jackson?” Jaebum asked, not entirely trusting Jinyoung. It wouldn't be the first time he messed up a spell…

“Oh that…” he rapped Jackson on the head with his wand.

“Ow! HEY!”

Even as Jackson shouted, he grew back to his usual height.

“Aw man…” he looked down at his fully grown body, “you couldn't have made me just a little taller?”

Rolling his eyes, Jaebum turned to the rat King, who was still sulking. When Jaebum caught his eye, he clutched his tail possessively, eyes narrowed.

“If the Potion fails, I'm not giving you this one.”

Jaebum chuckled. “I promise. And I'm sorry…?” he trailed off, realizing he didn't know the King’s name.

“Youngjae...Choi Youngjae…”

“Right…” Jaebum smiled and raised his glass in toast. “I will bring you my apology by the new year,” he promised.

He downed the drink in a single gulp.

Several things happened at once — his stomach lurched, his skin crawled, and his bones felt like rubber bands being stretched just before they snapped. The world suddenly seemed to shrink around him. No —  he corrected himself — he was just growing.

And suddenly, Jackson was in front of him, eyes wide.

“Wow…” Jackson breathed, “you look way better when you're not made of wood.”

Jaebum grinned. “Thanks.”

Jinyoung cleared his throat behind them, and Jaebum turned to see Yugyeom standing unsteadily on his new, very long, legs. He was taller than both of them.

“There's still one more thing…” Jinyoung said, eyeing Jackson significantly.

Oh.

Right.

Jackson’s heart…

Suddenly nervous, Jaebum looked back at Jackson, who tilted his head in silent question. Jaebum’s confidence left him. Who would accept another’s heart so soon after meeting?

Jackson had known Jaebum for years, but only as a nutcracker...never as a human…

He bit his lip, sighed and stepped forward.

“You can hit me later,” he said, grabbing Jackson behind his neck and drawing him forward so their lips met.

Jackson’s skin was warm beneath his fingers. The hair on the nape of his neck soft. Lips chapped. It had been so long that Jaebum had felt _anything_ that it was all overwhelming.

He forced himself to pull back before Jackson could push him away.

“Wow…” was the only thing Jackson said before he looked at Jaebum, eyes wide, as if he hadn't quite processed what had just happened.

Jinyoung let out a low whistle, and he could hear Yugyeom shuffle uncomfortably behind them. Jaebum could only look at Jackson, and wait. For him to shout, demand an explanation, reject him. He waited for the world around him to grow as he shrank back into a nutcracker.

“Try one more time... " Jackson breathed, stepping forward, "just to be safe."

Jaebum did.

Just in case.


End file.
